1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for sensing the surface flexure of a flexible sheet. This invention is particularly useful for providing flexure information to a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent developments in the fields of robotics and virtual reality have made it desirable for computers to obtain increasingly sophisticated information about the real world. For example, a robotic system might want information about an object which includes not only its weight and location, but also its orientation and shape. A virtual reality system may need to sense the motion of the user's hands, including bending of the fingers. It would be useful in certain contexts to accurately measure the surface motion of fluids.
Currently, sensing of shape and flexure is accomplished, if at all, either by remote sensors such as vision systems, or by expensive and delicate systems utilizing fiber optics, piezoresistant materials, or strain gages. A need remains in the art for a low-cost, mass-producible, and reliable way to measure shape and/or flexure.